
Electric Outage: 1-844-484-2300
Water Emergency: 541-685-7595
EWEB Main: 541-685-7000
The rising cost of gasoline and growing consequences of climate change are driving more and more people to look for alternatives to gas-powered vehicles. And EVs offer benefits that go beyond the gas pump.
Find Out MoreElectric vehicle (EV) sales are poised to skyrocket in the years ahead as technology improves, more models hit the market, prices fall and regulations limit the sale of gas-powered vehicles. And EWEB is preparing for this surge.
Find Out MoreElectric mobility seems to be everywhere these days, but does availability equal accessibility? Here at EWEB we’ve determined that the answer is ‘no’ and are working to bridge that gap through EV car shares, community grants and electric bike rebates.
Find Out MoreIn Eugene, we take pride in knowing we have one of the cleanest power portfolios in the nation. Roughly 90% of Eugene's power comes from carbon-free hydroelectric energy. And EWEB has a long history offering robust conversation programs. But we wanted to do more, so we launched Lead Green, a suite of programs for climate innovators looking to support renewable energy and take action on climate change. In the year since Lead Green was launched, we've accomplished a lot we can be proud of.
Find Out MoreLearn some of the many ways EWEB customers support local schools and help inspire kids to explore the wonders of watershed health and clean energy resources.
Find Out MoreBy upgrading substations – key nodes in the electric grid – EWEB is investing today in a resilient electric grid for the future.
Find Out MoreA wrap up of the May 2nd EWEB Board of Commissioners Meeting
Find Out MoreSeventh graders in the Bethel School District put their handmade wind turbines to the test in a wind power challenge supported by EWEB grants last week.
Find Out MoreThe application period is now open for the Electric Mobility Community Grants. Mobility Grants of up to $25,000 will be awared to five nonprofits, schools and academic intitutions, government and other public agencies to cover costs associated with their electric mobility projects.
Find Out MoreEWEB's Greenpower subscribers voted to award this year's Greenpower Grant to Friends of Trees, a local nonprofit that brings trees to areas of Eugene and Springfield with low tree equity.
Find Out MoreFollow along as the Currin Substation, the first of 10 substations in 10 years, is rebuilt from the ground up as part of EWEB's Capital Improvement Plan for major infrastructure investments to rehabilitate, replace, and install new infrastructure.
Find Out MoreToday and every day, we celebrate and honor the hard work, innovation and dedication of electrical line workers.
Find Out MoreThe EWEB Board of Commissioners discussed prefunding Leaburg, the 2022 State of the Watershed report, and the General Manager's performance evaluation at their April 4th, 2023 meeting.
Find Out MoreIt’s spring-- the time of year when birds are nesting in our trees. EWEB crews take special care to avoid disrupting birds when they’re trimming trees. But tree trimming is a necessary part of delivering safe and reliable power. We went out with a crew to find out how it's done.
Find Out MoreEWEB is excited to announce the eligible candidates for the 2023 Greenpower Grant! The winner of the Greenpower Grant will be voted on by Greenpower subscribers. Learn more about each origanization and their proposal before casting your vote.
Find Out MoreMay 18, 2023 • Robyn Smith, EWEB Communications
Apprentice:
EWEB has a myriad of skilled trade workers in the electric and water division. Our skilled journeymen are experts in their field, with thousands of training hours and real-world experiences. Acquiring skills is one thing, but do trade workers feel responsible for passing on what they’ve learned to others? The answer is yes.
That’s why EWEB’s electric division has a unique program dedicated to training and certifying apprentices called the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC). EWEB has nine apprentices from the Line Operation, Substation, and Meter Shop departments.
Becoming a certified line worker, working daily with high-voltage electrical equipment, is no joke. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) requires an apprentice to complete 7,000 hours of various field duties in their discipline and complete a three-year classroom training which covers everything from electric and circuitry fundamentals to power factors and wiring schematics before they can ultimately take the journeyman exam and become certified in their trade.
BOLI standards require an apprentice to log field work daily and review it with their employers, who grade them on a scale of 1-5 (exceptional to needs improvement.) That’s where the JATC comes into play. Once a month, the committee reviews each apprentice’s work, tallying their progress in various disciplines or examining weaknesses that need improvement.
“We’re here to provide constructive feedback so each apprentice can grow and become a successful candidate for certification,” said Cody Nutt, JATC chair and line technician.
The review committee comprises a chair, secretary, admin, and HR representative. The intent is for EWEB staff to rotate through the officer positions annually.
Nutt, who has been a part of the committee for the past two years, said, “Most of us in the line department rotate through the committee seats. We want to be involved and help others through the program.”
EWEB's top priority is to provide safe and reliable power to customers; the men and women working on EWEB’s electric grid undergo years of training and mentorship from their peers. Soaking up the lessons learned and past experiences of others.
John Latourette, EWEB line crew supervisor, and JATC secretary, said, “There’s an old generational mission we impart on new apprentices: at the beginning, you absorb, experience, learn as much as you can about your skill set, and then your priority shifts. Then, after your apprenticeship, you want an apprentice working beside you to pass along your knowledge and ensure they become even more skilled than you.”
The JATC program has been in place for many years and continues to ensure apprentices evolve best practices by working with and learning from skilled, certified EWEB employees who proudly pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
Never touch a downed power line or anything it may be touching. If you see a downed power line, call us immediately at 1-844-484-2300.
Para asistencia en español llame al 541-685-7000, presione 9
Mailing Address: 4200 Roosevelt Blvd., Eugene, OR 97402
Phone: 541-685-7000
Toll free: 800-841-5871
Email: eweb.answers@eweb.org
Customer service phone hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday